Quote Originally Posted by Montmorency View Post
If that's the case, what next besides fretting about it? What is the Labour Party doing elsewhere in government (vis-a-vis Conservative policy)? What would you want them to do in the near-future that they aren't?

And to the extent that a Party offers its own coherent set of promises, would that count towards challenging the government/opposition's conduct?
I think that Pan' is referring to the traditions of English politics. While the 'loyal opposition' is supposed to have a shadow government ready to step forward with their policies if a vote of no confidence shifts the governing party from office (the political alternative function you allude to), traditionally that loyal opposition party has been much more 'pushy' during questions etc. so as to force the government to clarify policy and their reasons for taking certain actions so that voters might be better informed. The opposition is supposed to ask the tough questions that put the government on the spot and not go along to get along save where the national interest is so clear that more or less all parties agree on a particular policy.